Freightliner M2 112 with Cummins Westport 8.9L ISL G engine
Low emission work trucks reduce carbon by up to 20%
Canada’s first low emission natural gas vocational trucks are on display this week at Truck World 2010 at the Toronto International Centre. The two trucks are the first of five natural gas trucks to receive funding through the Province of Ontario’s Green Commercial Vehicle Program. Funding of $15,000 per truck was provided as part of an innovative provincial program targeting emissions from medium and heavy duty commercial vehicles.
Operating on fossil natural gas, the work trucks reduce carbon emissions by up to 20% while offering fleet owners the power and performance characteristics of diesel trucks. Moreover, using renewable natural gas (biomethane) produced from upgraded landfill or digester gas increases the benefit, providing an 85-90% carbon reduction compared to diesel trucks according to Natural Resources Canada.
“Natural gas vehicles offer an immediate carbon emissions benefit and, when green gas is available in the market, fleet owners will be able to dramatically lower their fleet emissions,” says Alicia Milner, President of the Canadian Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance.
In February this year Canadian government and industry stakeholders agreed to jointly develop a deployment roadmap focusing on the opportunities for natural gas as a cost effective, lower emission fuel for the heavy transportation sector. Milner commented that increasingly stringent diesel emissions standards have had no impact on carbon emissions from heavy diesel vehicles, one of the fastest growing sources of carbon emissions in Canada. The growing availability of natural gas vocational trucks gives fleet owners a way to green their operations without compromising on operational needs.
International 4400 with Phoenix 7.6L Enbridge ESI Dump Truck
Canadian gas distribution company Enbridge Inc supplied the two single axle dump trucks – a Freightliner M2 112 and International Model 4400 – for display at Truck World from April 15-17. The International 4400 has a Phoenix 7.6L engine from Emissions Solutions Inc (ESI) out of Texas. The Freightliner M2 112 has an 8.9L Cummins Westport ISL G engine. Both trucks have 50 diesel gallon equivalent CNG fuel systems supplied by Enviromech Industries.
In total, Enbridge purchased two Freightliner M2 112s and replaced the diesel engines in three International trucks with ESI engines – two Model 4400s and one Model 4300 (in a mini dump truck configuration). The larger Freightliner and International trucks are able to tow a 20 ton float trailer with a full-sized backhoe used for utility construction operations.
The trucks are to be used to haul fill and will operate within Enbridge Gas Distribution’s fleet in the Toronto area. Enbridge currently operates Canada’s largest fleet of natural gas vehicles with more than 600 light duty vehicles. The company’s use of natural gas contributed to it being designated as the first commercial fleet in Canada with an E3 Gold fleet ranking from the Vancouver-based Fraser Basin Council in 2008.
“The Province of Ontario is to be commended for its leadership in recognizing and addressing emissions from medium and heavy duty trucks,” Milner added. “Having these trucks in the Province will encourage other fleet owners to consider natural gas as a lower emission alternative for their operations. Lessons learned from the American market suggest that the engagement of truck dealers is fundamental to the growth of natural gas in the truck sector.”
Eastern Ontario-based International dealer Kemptville Truck Centre, selected as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies for 2009, has set itself up to convert trucks and service the ESI product. Kemptville has had two of its mechanics trained by ESI to do this work and they intend to support customers from across the Province with on-the-customer’s-site service as needed. Their major customers include Enbridge, Canada Post and National Defense Canada.
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